Herbs
Thyme
Full sun and gritty, free-draining soil; shear off spent flowerheads to keep new growth coming.
Thymus vulgaris · Herbs · Perennial
When to plant Thyme in Australia
Sourced timing by broad climate zone. Zones with no sourced timing for an action are left out rather than estimated.
- Sow seed
- Cool — Oct, Nov, Dec
- Temperate — Aug, Sep, Oct
- Subtropical — Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct
- Tropical — Jun, Jul
- Arid — May, Jun
- Plant out seedlings
- Cool, Temperate, Subtropical — Sep, Oct, Nov
- Tropical — Aug
- Arid — Jul
- Harvest
- Cool, Temperate, Subtropical, Tropical, Arid — 4–6 weeks after sowing
Australian planting guide by climate zone
Sourced guidance by broad climate zone, shown as fixed months, timing relative to sowing or planting, or written growing advice. Your GrowCal calendar applies your regional growing profile, so its dates may sit earlier or later than the months below.
| Action | Cool | Temperate | Subtropical | Tropical | Arid |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sow | Oct, Nov, DecDetailsSow seed in October-December. | Aug, Sep, OctDetailsSow seed in August-October. | Jul, Aug, Sep, OctDetailsSow seed in July-October. | Jun, JulDetailsSow seed in June-July. | May, JunDetailsSow seed in May-June. |
| Plant out | Sep, Oct, NovDetailsPlant seedlings in September-November. | Sep, Oct, NovDetailsPlant seedlings in September-November. | Sep, Oct, NovDetailsPlant seedlings in September-November. | AugDetailsPlant seedlings in August. | JulDetailsPlant seedlings in July. |
| Feed | No sourced timing currently shown | No sourced timing currently shown | No sourced timing currently shown | No sourced timing currently shown | No sourced timing currently shown |
| Prune | GuidanceDetailsShear off the old dry flowerheads to encourage fresh growth. | GuidanceDetailsShear off the old dry flowerheads to encourage fresh growth. | GuidanceDetailsShear off the old dry flowerheads to encourage fresh growth. | GuidanceDetailsShear off the old dry flowerheads to encourage fresh growth. | GuidanceDetailsShear off the old dry flowerheads to encourage fresh growth. |
| Pest check | No sourced timing currently shown | No sourced timing currently shown | No sourced timing currently shown | No sourced timing currently shown | No sourced timing currently shown |
| Harvest | 4–6 wks after sowingRelativeDetailsHarvest from about 4-6 weeks, cutting stems as required. | 4–6 wks after sowingRelativeDetailsHarvest from about 4-6 weeks, cutting stems as required. | 4–6 wks after sowingRelativeDetailsHarvest from about 4-6 weeks, cutting stems as required. | 4–6 wks after sowingRelativeDetailsHarvest from about 4-6 weeks, cutting stems as required. | 4–6 wks after sowingRelativeDetailsHarvest from about 4-6 weeks, cutting stems as required. |
Only sourced growing and timing guidance is shown.
Care guidance
Sourced advice for Thyme that isn't tied to a month.
- Sow 2mm deep; germinates in 14-21 days.
- Space seedlings 30cm apart, water in and mulch with hay.
- Most species withstand moderate frosts; prefers light, gritty soil.
- Grows well in a deep pot (20cm+) through the cooler months.
About this data
This schedule is part of GrowCal's preview horticultural dataset — useful as general guidance, and still being validated. Conditions vary with your soil, aspect, frost and variety. Read more on the data & methodology page, or send us a correction.
Related planting guides
Other plants in the GrowCal dataset, mostly from the same category.
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